Orino v. Beliveau
Orino v. Beliveau
Opinion of the Court
This is an action for money had and received and comes to the Law Court upon the following exceptions:
“This was an action of Assumpsit, wherein plaintiff, as assignee of one Oscar U. Sullivan, sought to recover the sum of six hundred and twenty-five dollars paid to defendant in satisfaction of a judgment in favor of said Sullivan against one Daniel H. McCafferty entered on Dec. 3, 1917, in the Supreme Judicial Court for Oxford County, and was tried by the Court without the intervention of a jury, right to
Upon the facts, the Justice ordered judgment for the defendant. From that finding, it appears that the defendant had collected $625.00 on the judgment in favor of Sullivan and had paid out over $300.00 of it, on Sullivan’s account and retained $300.00 for his services, under a contract which Sullivan claims to be champertous. The plaintiff, Sullivan’s assignee, accordingly brought an action for money had and received for the recovery from the defendant of the $300.00. No question is raised as to the money paid out on Sullivan’s account.
There is little question that the agreement between Sullivan and the defendant was champertous, under the provision of R. S., Chap. 124, Sec. 12, Many states however, hold the other way.
The defendant claims that, even though the agreement was ehamppertous, he is entitled to receive the value of his services upon a quantum meruit. It is the opinion of the court, however, that he cannot so recover, and that, consequently, the three hundred dollars which he held in his hands should not have been allowed against the plaintiff’s claim. Exceptions sustained.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Adolphus Orino v. Albert Beliveau
- Status
- Published